Putin ally Medvedev says Russia could limit farm supplies to 'friends'

The European Union and Ukraine are Russia's main competitors in the wheat trade.

One of President Vladimir Putin's allies warned on Friday that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, could limit supplies of agriculture products to "friendly" countries only, amid Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.

Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and is now deputy secretary of Russia's security council, said he would like to outline "some simple but important points about food security in Russia," given the sanctions imposed.

Most of them have been part of the country's agricultural policy for years. "We will only be supplying food and agriculture products to our friends," Medvedev said